Nyx Ulric
Nyx Ulric (ニックス・ウリック) is the main protagonist of the Zodiac Trilogy ''series and a playable character in ''Final Fantasy IX Type-0 ''along with its sequel, ''Facing Fate: The Zodiac Era. He is a member of the eponymous Kingsglaive. Profile Personality At first, Nyx is confused and unaware of where he is or what life he lives. He behaves as the member of the Tantalus Troupe once did, given his appearance in Holocene 1800. As time progress, Nyx's personality, from what one knows of him previously, begins to shape more into that of Zidane Tribal, until he meets with Rydia. Rydia, in the same situation as himself, ponders his existence and personality, wondering if it is he, himself who is really living time. Nyx begins to notice a dark silhouette of the late Princess Garnet overshadowing Rydia, becoming more visible as time progresses. As he travels with Rydia, reliving akin the spirits lives, he begins to understand their personality is morphing by the force of such spirits, as they desire to live their life again in their present era, following the fall of Gaia. During the Golden Age, similar occurrence with Nyx's personality happens again. Only this time, he is more aware of it, claiming it is: "Just part of the show". Although selfless, Nyx can be interpreted as arrogant. Appearance Nyx is a young man with dark gray hair and blue eyes. He wears the black uniform typical of his fellow Glaives, but his is customized with a silver antler or horn on its hood, purple ribbons on its back, and pelts of blue-gray fur on its left sleeve. According to the The Art and Design of FINAL FANTASY XV book, the ornament indicates his heritage as a member of an ancient lineage of hunters, and posits that it adds credibility to his role as a royal guard. Nyx's signature weapon is his pair of kukris, one originating from Galahd and the other having been forged in Insomnia, symbolizing both of his homelands. Nyx has small and subtle tattoos. He has a "crow's foot" on his right cheek, and a line and a dot under his left eye. He has markings on his ears, a line down his neck, one around his right leg and a line do wn his middle finger of his left hand, and another down his forefinger on his right hand. Nyx appears with a large feline in some illustrations. It is a Galahd-native coeurl and Nyx's image-motif. Horns and fur on his gear symbolize him being wild and also foreign, as he is an immigrant from Galahd in thus from a different culture compared to Insomnia. His theme color is blue to complement Regis, whose purple theme reflects his nobility and maturity. To show Nyx's youth and to make it in line with Regis's purple, blue was chosen to be Nyx's color.2 Abilities Nyx is a skilled wielder of the Lucian royal family's powers. He favors his ability to warp, which he does by throwing his kukris, as even though he is adept in close-range combat, the kukris offer him more range when thrown. He also uses various other types of magic, such as projecting fire and lightning from the palm of his hand, and the ability to project magical shields. When deemed worthy of the Ring of the Lucii, he becomes even more powerful and gains the ability to control the Old Wall. Story Holocene 1800 During Holocene 1800, few of the citizens around Gaia vaguely speak of Zidane and his allies, as Nyx's body is in their place. Usually only mourning over the loss, and/or showing gratitude for their heroic acts prior to the Fall of Gaia, for once removing the Mist and restoring peace to the land. Other citizens mention how they still see Zidane's allies reliving time again; likely referencing their presence in Final Fantasy IX Type-0, as they are mere shades of the Judges of Gaia. Some citizens note how Nyx and Rydia are "very much alike Zidane and Garnet" in terms of personality shaping; and some feel the presence of Zidane and Garnet through Nyx and Rydia. This shows the Shades of the Judges of Gaia have the power most spirits do; the ability of sentience and possession; the opportunity to live again through another body. Nyx's Shadow also references this theory. Nyx's Shadow is candid and aggressive. Since being sent back in time before Nyx's death, he yearns not to return to his battered, burned corpse that awaits him in the present, but to live on forever to either change the past to prevent his death, or confine Nyx in the Golden Age for eternity while he obtains immortality. Upon speaking with the Judges of Gaia, they immediately greet themselves Nyx as if they've never been met before, this is true as the characters: Vivi, Freya, Eiko, Quina, Steiner and Amarant in the player’s party are nothing more but Shades of the Judges of Gaia. The judges speak to Nyx, noting how the monsters and beasts of the world are of nothing they experienced before when they existed, hinting their spirits are indeed alive and they've been watching over the land of Gaia. The Judges of Gaia encourage Nyx and Rydia, along with the shades of themselves to press forward and to set time right again, as it should be. Despite his doppelganger soul being a bit of a skirt-chaser. Nyx is of the contrary, making it clear to the allies that there is nothing between himself and Rydia. And, being in the same situation as himself, he will work with Rydia to see the problem to an end, if that alone is enough. Later, the Nyx and the party discover the presence of Lavos in Gaia by a bystander Kingsglaive. The discovery of Lavos' prompted his defeat in this time age before its early emergence to place the world into an apocalyptic state. Carrière, led Nyx on the right path by praying to the Woman in Flight to open the Dimensional Vortex that appeared on the surface of Gaia 1800, after the defeat of Lavos there. This in turn, led Nyx to the Iifa Tree some time era later, where he hears and listens to the voice of the essence of the late Zeal, who, after the fall of the Black Omen, and her reversion, mourns at last for the loss of her daughter. Nyx is distinctly led deep in the Iifa Tree﻿, near the bottom where he follows the voice of the daughter of Zeal, likely guiding him. As he approaches the bottom, the voice speaks to him of the events that happened after the Fall of Zeal, to give him a lead on the latter spawns of Lavos. At the bottom of the Iifa Tree﻿, Nyx is presented with a suspected time gate, which eventually turns out to be an alternative Epoch Elevator different from the one guarded by Hades. Before entering, Nyx questions the spirit guiding him if this will end it all, or send him through a paradox. The voice, fading from his ears, is only heard to speak of the crutch of power. With that, Nyx enters inside, which takes him further back in time (Golden Age, Ivalice) to get closer to the emerging vortex that could potentially lead to the Dream Devourer, where Schala awaits. Golden Age After defeating Hades guarding the Epoch Elevator in Holocene 1800, Nyx the Golden Age. Inside the Vortex sometime later, the party is sent to Antiquity, Frozen Cliffs in a different age than Ivalice. Nyx, believing it is a great rift in time's fabric as there is no stability. Feeling this is the road they must travel to see their affairs to an end, they press forward through the age with little question. Later, the party encounters a deactivated Mammon Machine. Why the machine is present there is beyond their comprehension. Nyx, without hesitation, proceeds to get the device activated, knowing the name of it without struggle. Steiner wonders how Nyx knows much of history's relics and Nyx replies he doesn't really know. Its just apart of his memory. Aware this has happened before in Gaia, Nyx rules it the work of the Shades. As they try to take form of his body, their memories whom are not lost to them, but imprinted in their era begins to morph into the mind of the host whom they desire to take. At the End of Time, they encounter a stray Montblanc. Baffled by his appearance at this realm, Montblanc tells the party since his experience in Gaia, he's come to study more about the phenomenon that has been occurring with time lately. He asks the party if they have observed odd distortions in time's fabric in the recent days. Knowing of the dimensional vortices already, Nyx states one has likely arisen in every age. Within the Time's Eclipse, Nyx's Shadow, Rydia and the party head off in the chronological Gates that eventually lead to the Dream Devourer. Facing against the Dream Devourer, neither Nyx or his allies can defeat it again. Blinded by idealism, after "defeating" again, the Dream Devourer, Schala sees not Nyx, but Magus in his place, similarly at the same time as before, where she regains control of herself for a limited time and teleports the remaining victims away. She then tells Nyx, who, in her eyes, is still Magus, he cannot hope to save her as long as people continue to lean on the crutch of power. Before Schala sends Nyx away, he points out that he's "finally remembered who she is now" and is teleported before he could further explain. In the ending scene, Nyx's shade appears at an unknown time. As he speaks, it appears, he too, has returned to his time, the moment before his death; stating as time heals all wounds, but he hasn't done much healing. He states that it is just fine, time wasn't meant to be changed in such a way. To cater to one's personal whim, to move forward from the past in live in the present. Ending his monologue with "Though, I too, will always remember him." Gameplay Nyx wields daggers in battle. His special command is Kingsglaive and his skill set is Tier Skill. Scan allows him to perceive more detailed info about foes, Carrière's Benisons bestows an immunity to magics, Warp Strike, Mega Flare, Darkja, Mesocyclone, Warp Plunder and Hero's Pride are among his physical, non-elemental damage skills which range from moderate to massive damage. Nyx also has, by default the Esper, Zodiark. Zodiark's skill set is Tier skill and he wields Protect, Darkja and Pure White Magick, along with his native abilities: Banish Ray and Final Eclipse. Zodiark's gambits have to been altered to not heal Nyx every time he is damaged. Abilities Skills-IX Type-0 Commands: Steal/Skill Trance: Steal/Kingsglaive Abilities: Smoke (Flee from battle). Libra (Scan HP/MP and weaknesses of one foe). Feline Wind (Restore 1/6 HP of all allies) Expose (Lower enemy's defense) Wither (Lower enemy's strength) Warp Strike (Consume HP to deal physical damage to one foe) 1000 Needles (Static 1000 damage dealt to one foe) Fires of Lucian (Non-elemental damage to one foe) Hand Bomb (Random damage to all foes) Fire Requiem (Static damage to all foes) Electon (Lightning damage to one foe) Banish Ray (Dark damage to one foe) Darkja (Colossal dark damage to all foes) Trance: Gelt Toss Protectga Old Wall (Bestow Auto-Life, Trance, Haste, Protect, Shell, Regen, Float to all allies) Shockwave Solution IX (Limit Breaker) Kingsglaive (Colossal Damage, one foe) Skills-The Zodiac Era White Magicks Protectga Shellga Black Magicks Fire Firaga Thunder Thundaga Tier Skill Scan Carrière's Benisons (Bestow augment: Immunity to Magicks to self target). Warp Strike (Physical damage to one foe). Mega Flare (Non-elemental damage to all foes in range). Darkja (Massive Dark damage to all foes). Charge Mesocyclone (Colossal Non-elemental damage to all foes). Warp Plunder (Heavy physical damage to one foe). Hero's Pride (Moderate physical damage to one foe). Wither Expose Seethe/Invigorating Fires of Lucian (Fire damage to one foe). Hand Bomb (Heavy Fire damage to one foe). Autumn Requiem (Massive Fire damage to all foes). Summon Zodiark Creation and development The likeness of Johan Akan, a French model, is used to portray Nyx.5 Neil Newbon is the character's motion capture artist. Quotes "That's part of the fun, isn't it? Discovering the unknown. Isn't that what we've been doing since Gaia?" "This is a great rift in time's fabric. There is no stability here, whatsoever." "Ah, the theme of this little show is finally beginning to reveal itself." "Fancy seeing how you survived after all these eons." "Just a piece of our little puzzle, eh?" "(They're bodies show, yet their souls, abstract another...? (Are they still alive?)" "Raise your weapon against me and you sign away your life." "We'd best do something, unless it is your plan to wait out our deaths here." "Add another one to the party, huh? Trust me, we're better off calling that one Lucca." "They seem to fancy morphing the mind and body of unwelcome guests." "Heh, here I come!" "Remember your past! You must open your eyes!" "Carrière's... going to die...? You... you must be joking..." "But your a white mage.... It's your job to heal people! How can you just let him die!?" "I just can't get those people back there out of my head... They lost so much..." "Schala agglutinated with the Dream Devourer." "We have to trust each other." Musical themes "Nyx" is a theme on the Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV: Original Soundtrack. It plays at Nalbina Dungeons.Category:Games Category:Characters Category:Zodiac Trilogy Category:Final Fantasy